Combined bottling and capping machine



y 8, 1934- F. LLOYD ET AL COMBINED BOTTLING AND CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 8, 1934. F. LLOYD ET AL 1,957,464

COMBINED BOTTLING AND CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gM uento'w/ fizz/1.6 .Z. Lioyd,

Fatented May 8, 1934 V UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE COMBINED BOTTLING AND CAPPING MACHINE Application January 18, 1932, Serial No. 587,364

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in combined bottlingand capping machinery and more particularly contemplates an apparatus wherein the feed from the bottler is adapted to actuate the capper in such timed relation that a continuous, automatic operation of bottling, feeding, capping, and distributing may take place.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the elimination of uncertain automatic devices, as well as the use of a treadle in connection with a capping machine as has been customary.

An object of the invention is to provide a capping machine having means disposed in the path of the feeding means whereby each time recep- 15 tacles are disposed in capping position, the capping machine will be automatically actuated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reciprocating feeding means having a member cooperating with the capping machine whereby at the limit of the reciprocating movement of the feeding means, the capper will be actuated.

Another object of the invention is to associate with the capping machine a shelf and a table forming a continuation of the feeding means whereby receptacles will be fed to said shelf and upon being capped, will be guided onto said table.

The whole mechanism of the present invention contemplates an automatic continuous bottling, feeding, capping, and distributing of receptacles in a synchronous manner and the capping machine and feeding mechanism are provided with mechanism so associated as to accomplish this result.

, In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the combined machine; and

Figure 2 is a detail view of the capping machine. I

In the drawings, the numeral indicates a capping machine of conventional structure having a prime mover, such as a continuously running motor 11 and associated parts, which, upon actuation by the motor, will feed a'cap from the tube 13 and place it in position to be apa plied to a receptacle through the medium of the reciprocating capper elements 14. The cap ping machine is provided with a clutch mechanism 12 adapted to be actuated by a suitable lever mechanism, whereby, when the clutch is thrown in, the capping devices 13, 14 are operated. This lever mechanism includes a rod 15 connected to the pivoted lever 16 which, in turn, is connected to a rod 17. The foot portion of the lever 16 is normally drawn upwardly by means :toward the guide 27.

reciprocated and in its forward or feeding moveof the coil spring 10 to hold the clutch out and the parts in inoperative position.

In conventional structures, it has been customary to operate the capper by a treadle forming a continuation of lever 16 and the present invention seeks to eliminate the use of such means and substitute therefor automatic means for actuating the lever mechanism to throw the clutch in and operate the capper.

The rod or lever 17 at its upper end engages a bell crank lever 13 which is pivoted upon a fixed pivot 19 on a bracket 34 bolted or otherwise attached to or forming a part of the capper as shown. One arm 20 of the bell crank lever is pivotally connected to the rod 17 as shown at 21, the said rod 17 at that end being in the form; of or provided with a yoke for receiving the adjacent end of the bell crank lever and the pivot pin 22 which extends through the arms of the yoke and the end of the arm 20. The other arm 23 of the bell crank lever projects upwardly into the path of the feeding means and adjacent a shelf on the capping machine carried by the bracket 34.

According to Figure l, we have indicated the bottling apparatus as a whole at 24 and the containers which are being bottled at 25. The containers are carried around and delivered to the feeding means, which carries the containers to the shelf associated with the capping machine. This feeding mechanism comprises a fixed plate or table 26 at one side of which is arranged a vertically extending guide 27 to guide the containers from the bottler onto the table 26. Disposed at one side of the fixed plate or table 26 or within a recess in the said table is a movable bar 28 carrying the feeding instrumentalities 29. These feeding members 29 have fingers 30 which project substantially across the width of the table The bar or rod 28 is ment toward the cap, the fingers engage the receptacles and move them along the table 26.

The fingers 30 have a limited pivotal movement. That is, in the forward movement toward the capper they act as spaced stops, whereas, when the bar 28 is retracted they are movable past the receptacles on the table 26 so that they have substantially the function of movable dogs. Thus, for each reciprocation of the bar 28, a predetermined number of bottles are collected from the bottler at one end and moved toward the capper and into capping position at the opposite end. This operation is, therefore, substantially continuous.

The bar 28 is operated from any suitable prime mover and is given a reciprocatory movement through the medium of the crank arm 30' engaging the rod 31, which, in turn, operates the rod 32 associated with the bar 28.

The table 26 extends into proximity to the capping machine and the capping machine is provided with a shelf 34 and a table 33, the upper surfaces of which are substantially flush with the upper surface of the table 26. That is to say, the bracket 34 which is bolted to the capping machine carries the shelf 3a which forms a flush joint or connection between one end of the fixed table 26 of the feeding means and the bottom of the distributing table 33 which is associated with the capping machine.

The guide member 27, it will be observed, projects substantially the length of the shelf 34; so as to guide the receptacles in their movement on the shelf and in their forward movement from the shelf to the table 33.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be observed that re reciprocating bar 23 is disposed for movement in a longitudinal recess in the surface of the shelf 34: and extends substantially the length thereof at the limit of its forward movement.

The bar 28, as stated, is adapted, in its forward motion toward the capper, to pass substantially beneath the capper instrumentality l l so as to position the containers for automatic capping in accordance with this invention.

The bar 28, at one end, is provided with an upstanding projection 35 which is in the form of a lug or block provided with an adjustable member in the nature of a bolt 36 extending laterally with respect thereto. The bolt 36 has threaded engagement with the lug 35 so that the distance of the head from the body of the lug may be regulated and form an adjustable means.

The function of the bolt or member 36 is to engage the upstanding arm 23 of the bell crank lever 18 whereby as this lever is rocked it will, in turn, by reason of the pivoted yoke connection between the arm 20 and the rod 17, depress the lever 16 at its treadle end of the pivotal point actuating the rod 15 and lever 15 to throw the clutch in, so that the parts associated with the motor may operate the capping device 14.

Thus, each reciprocation of the rod 28 will position receptacles in capping position and simultaneously trip the lever 23 to actuate the capping device. The bar 28 will retract to gather additional bottles and, in its next forward motion, the capped bottles will be pushed from the shelf 34 by the next succeeding uncapped bottles and such capped bottles will be guided to the table 33 by the guide 27.

By providing the bracket 34 having the shelf 34 and the table 33 as a continuation of the feeding means and associating these members with the capper, the receptacles will be capped and upon each forward movement of the reciprocating bar 28 toward the capper, the successive bottles will be placed in capping position with simultaneous actuation of the capping device, while at the same time, the containers already capped will be moved upon the table 33 for distribution. It is to be observed that the lever 23 is disposed in the path of the projection 36 and is adapted to be engaged thereby at the limit of each reciprocation of the bar 28. Actuation of the lever 23 as just described serves to throw the clutch in and permit the capping device 1% to descend and 10' causes the parts to assume their normal position ready for the next or successive actuation.

The operation of the combined construction is synchronous as will be appreciated, in that the reciprocation of the bar 28 is so timed as to pre-' sent the next one, two, or more containers to be capped at substantially the end of the time period required to cap the previous containers and for the parts to assume a normal position with the lever 23 returned to position to be engaged by the projection 36.

It will be understood that as many capping heads as desired may be employed, it being only necessary that the reciprocating movement be altered to deliver the required number of bottles beneath the capping instrumentalities and that the automatic actuating means 36 and 23 be suitably disposed and adjusted so that at the limit of its forward movement toward the capper with the receptacles in capping position beneath the capping instrumentalities, the lever 23 will be operated by the projection 36 to move the associated lever mechanism and throw in the clutch to permit operation of the capping device by the prime mover.

The provision of the bracket 34 carrying the shelf 34' and providing a bearing for the rod 28 in its reciprocatory movement, as well as a pivot for the bell crank lever mechanism, affords a very simple apparatus which will be entirely au- L tomatic. Furthermore, the bracket 34 will carry the guiding means 27 which may either be an integral continuation of the vertical plate associated with the fixed base 26 or constitute a vertical separate member supported on the bracket 34.

We claim:-

1. In combination with a capping machine, a fixed feed table extending beneath the capping machine, a movable member associated with the table, said member having movable means engaging the receptacles to feed them sequentially past the capping machine, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said member, a clutch for operating said capping machine, said movable means engaging the'receptacles during the capping operation, and a lever operatively connected to said clutch, said lever being positioned to be actuated by said member in the movement of the member to throw the clutch when the receptacles are advanced.

2. In combination with a capping machine, a fixed feed table having a guide flange on one side, a movable member adjacent the other side of the table, said member having spaced movable fingers extending transversely of the table for engaging the receptacles to feed them sequentially to the capping machine, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said member, a clutch for operating said capping machine, a lever operatively connected to said 3. In combination with a capping machine, a

fixed feed table extending beneath the capping machine, a movable member associated with the table, said member having movable means engaging the receptacles to feed them sequentially past the capping machine, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said member, a clutch for operating said capping machine, said movable means engaging the receptacles during t p g p et qa er o er t e? onnected to said clutch, a bell crank connected to the machine and having one of its arms arranged to be actuated by said movable member and means connecting the other arm of the bell crank to said lever to cause the actuation of said clutch when the movable member reaches the limit of its reciprocatory movement and the receptacles are disposed in proper capping position. v

4. In combination with a capping machine, a fixed table having a guide flange on one side, a movable member adjacent the other side of the table, said member having spaced movable fingers extending transversely of the table for engaging the receptacles to feed them sequentially to the capping machine, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said member, a clutch for operating said capping machine, a lever operatively connected to said clutch, said movable member having a projection thereon, a bell crank connected to the machine and having one of its arms arranged in the path of said projection, and means connecting the other arm of the bell crank to said lever to cause the actuation of said clutch when the projection engages the bell crank, said projection being positioned to operate the lever when the movable member reaches the limit of its reciprocatory movement and the receptacles are disposed in proper capping position.

5. In combination with a capping machine, a fixed feed table, a movable member associated with the table, said movable member having means engaging the receptacles to feed them sequentially to the capping machine, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said member, a clutch for operating said capping machine, a lever operatively connected to said clutch, a shelf on the capping machine forming a continuation of said table for receiving the adjacent end portion of the movable member, a bell crank pivotally connected to said shelf and having one of its arms extending into the path of said movable member, and means connecting the other arm of the bell crank to said lever to cause the actuation of the clutch when the movable member reaches the limit of its reciprocatory movement and the receptacles are disposed in proper capping position.

6. In combination with a capping machine, a fixed table having a guide flange on one side, a movable bar adjacent the other side of the table, said bar having spaced movable fingers extending transversely of the table for engaging the receptacles to feed them sequentially to the capping machine, means for imparting a reciproca tory movement to said bar, a shelf on the capping machine for receiving the adjacent end portion of said movable bar and forming a continuation of said table, a clutch for operating said capping machine, a lever operatively connected to said clutch, said movable bar having a projection thereon adjacent said shelf, a bell crank pivotally connected to said shelf and having one of its arms extending into the path of said projection, and means connecting the other arm of the bell crank to said lever to cause the actuation of said clutch when the projection engages the bell crank, said projection being arranged to operate the lever when the bar reaches the limit of its reciprocatory movement and the receptacles are disposed in proper capping position.

7. In combination with a capping machine, a fixed feed table extending beneath the capping machine, a movable member associated with the table, said member having movable means engaging the receptacles to feed them sequentially past the capping machine, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said member, a fixed shelf on the capping machine for receiving the adjacent end portion of said movable member and forming a continuation of said table, a clutch for operating said capping machine, said movable means engaging the receptacles during the capping operation, and a lever operatively connected to said clutch, said lever being positioned to be actuated by said member in the movement of the member to throw the clutch when the receptacles are advanced.

FRANK L. LLOYD. GEORGE J. HUNTLEY. 

